One Sided Business Deal
by In2lalaland
Summary: Wufei will do anything to get out of poverty, even marry an unknown foreigner he met on a dating site. 2x5x2, AU
1. Chapter 1

One Sided Business Deal

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Wufei will do anything to get out of poverty, even marry an unknown foreigner he met on a dating site.

Warning: unbetad and rough

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It was a business deal, but the problem was that it was a one sided business deal. His new husband really did love him and the thought made Wufei a little sad. But what choice did he have?

He had been born in a poor family, from a poor village. He had no interest in women and if he stayed he knew he was going to be forced to marry one of the daughters to his father's cousin.

That would be his life. Poor, unhappy and worn out.

But Wufei had known, even from an early age that he was meant for bigger, better things. He knew he was smart, he was imaginative, he had ideas and dreams that were going to take him far. He knew that they would.

He had befriended the local store owner's son and had through him learned what would be the key to leaving poverty. English.

He had dreamed of starting businesses, of working his way to the top and developing all those things he had thought up. But the truth was, that without money, you were no one. You couldn't get into the right schools to get the right education and get the right job. Without money you didn't get to know the right people, you weren't in the right place or at the right time.

You were nothing and you would remain nothing.

As he worked in the fields, sweat pouring down his back as the sun burned his skin, Wufei could only think of his plans. He had to succeed, he had to be someone. His only chance of change was simple, he had to get out of China. But how?

The idea had first come to him when a girl from a nearby village had married a foreigner.

It had been the talk of the whole valley and they all seen the large, new car drive passed the fields on its way to her family home. The rumor traveled fast and everyone had been there to see when Suyin stepped out of her parents house like a movie star. She had been dressed in stylish new clothes of which no one had seen anything like. Jewelry hung from her like icicles in the winter.

The girl had been the envy of every farm child around, Wufei included. She spoke of stores that never closed or ran out of supplies, of buildings that touched the sky and of never having to work.

Wufei wanted that. He wanted the freedom of never having to worry about what to eat, he wanted the grandness of city life and he wanted to escape the fields.

As he watched the girl and her audience of enviers, Wufei saw that it was also going to be his way out, he just needed to find a husband.

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The first thing he had done was to pack up everything he had and say good bye to his family. They had tried to talk him out off it but he had made up his mind and he couldn't stay.

He had walked for days along the mountain roads until he had reached Urumqi, the only city within miles around. Well there he had found a job at a factory that made boxes for toys. It was hard work, long days only to leave for a few hours sleep in a rundown apartment he shared with two other workers and their families. There wasn't a day that he didn't go to sleep with his body screaming in pain, his hands covered with cuts and his ears still ringing from the noise of the machines. It had taken him over a year to earn enough money for the train ticket he needed. It had felt like ten.

As he stood waiting on the platform, watching the rail that was soon going to take him all the way to Beijing, Wufei made a promise to himself. He was going to do anything, absolutely anything to escape this life. It didn't matter who he had to marry, what abuse he had to live through, nothing mattered but the freedom money would give him. And he was going to have it.

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Beijing was the single most terrifying place Wufei had ever been to. There were so much people around that it made him dizzy, moving like a rapid in all directions. The skyscrapers loomed over him like childhood monsters and Wufei couldn't breathe for all the exhaust fumes. Barely anyone understood his dialect and he had been forced to carry a pad with him to make himself understood. It took him a long time to find what he was looking for, he had almost believed that there the place he had only heard rumors about, didn't exist at all. All he could find was places for girls to find husbands, not for men who were looking for husbands. But after talking to one of the girls from one of those marriage sites who had stepped out for a smoke, he found out differently.

Barely twenty minutes later, Wufei finally reached his goal. But this was where things became uncertain. He had to be taken on by the website, they had to look at him and decide if he would be good enough for them. Wufei knew he was attractive, he had been compared with enough pop stars to realized this, had even been mistaken for one once. But that was the opinion of ordinary people, what mattered now was the opinion of foreigners, who knew what those kind of people found attractive.

He had walked in, been given a form to fill out and asked to take a seat. The waiting room was filled with young men, all beautiful, they had fair skin with modern haircuts and most of the boys there didn't look a day over sixteen.

Wufei looked down on his papers and wrote down eighteen in the box for age. They probably wouldn't take him on if they found out he was twenty-four. He also shortened his name so make it easier to pronounce and wrote that he didn't have a family to make himself seem unattached. He was a bit scared that they would question it, but when he was called in they didn't seem all that interested in checking his papers or confirming his identity in any way. They just looked him up and down, asked him a few questions about his interests and what kind of music he liked before leading him on to another room. He was told to change into some of the clothes that they provided before a woman came forward, armed with more makeup and hair products then Wufei had ever seen any girl use.

They took some photos, some in which he showed more skin then he was fully comfortable with before leading him into a room where he was told to wait. Nervously he had sat in the room that only contained rows of chairs. More and more young men arrived, all excited and happy but Wufei was still too nervous for that. The fight wasn't over yet, he still had to find someone to take him from China.

When all the chairs were filled with boys, a man came in to give them a run through of the site. They were told how to manage the computer program, how to address the men there, what to say and what not to say. They were to be given lessons in English and Wufei was pleased to see that he was one of the few who actually had a vocabulary and knew how to use it. This would give him an extra edge. Another thing that would most likely be helpful but made him very sad when he thought about it was that not all of the young men there were gay. Several were just as desperate as he was to just get away, to do anything for a better life.

It turned out to be a long day and Wufei's head had gone numb by all the information he had been given and that night, while sleeping on the floor at one of the other husband seekers he had wondered if all this was going to be worth it in the end. Would it be worth it for any of them?

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The following weeks, Wufei spoke to so many men that it blew his mind. He had no clue that there were so many lonely gay men out there. He searched and searched, he did and said anything they wanted him to all the while his brain was racing, analyzing everything. In the end it all boiled down to a hand full of men who all had money, came from rich countries and who had an interest in him.

He went through them all, made lists of the good and the bad as he prepared to make the decision of a life time. But when the final choice was made, it was not the lists or the money that convinced him. It was the eyes.

He had more profitable offers. Men with more money, with more successful jobs and in better countries. But some of them seemed a little too good. Wufei was a lot of things but he was not stupid, he was not going to let himself be fooled into a scam. He had heard of girls who had been tricked into prostitution and hard labor through this kind of thing and he wouldn't let that happen to him.

The guy he finally put all his effort into was not overly handsome, not ugly but at the same time, not someone who you would look again at if you passed him in the streets. But the eyes, the eyes convinced him.

He had big hopeful eyes, they were gently eyes, eyes that would not hold rage. They were the eyes of someone who would never dream of hurting anyone, a kind man.

Wufei had easily snared the man and had him wrapped around his finger in just a few weeks. The only mishap had been when it turned out that the guy thought eighteen was too young and Wufei had to bend over backwards in desperation to convince him that he wasn't _really_ a teenager. There had been some misunderstandings and confusion but if nothing, it had proved to Wufei that the man he had found would believe anything he told him. So when Duo Maxwell had proposed, Wufei had been very pleased.

He had his ticket out.

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A/N

Just something I wrote to get myself going. Next chapter will be posted tomorrow if I find the time and energy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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_Warning:_ Shit poor grammar and extremely simple English. I wrote this in one go while glancing up at the clock every five minutes. The result is… hm, you'll see.

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Wufei first meet his soon to be husband on Beijing's airport. Seeing the man in real life instead of a small screen was a bit overwhelming.

He was tall, much taller than Wufei had imagined and the braided hair he had only seen in passing was a lot longer than it had seemed. He was also -he barely wanted to admit it- a lot more handsome then he had seemed on the web-camera. He was wide shouldered and muscular in a way that Wufei recognized in hard workers instead of the manufactured muscles he had seen around the big city men. In all he was more than a little intimidating

Duo recognized him right away, moving swiftly though the crowed towards him. Wufei swallowed nervously as the brick wall came to a stop right in front of him. Duo bowed and greeted him in the worst Chinese Wufei had even heard in his life. As he straightened up he looked at him with a clear question of 'did I get that right' in his eyes.

Wufei couldn't help but find it a bit charming, that his soon to be husband had made the effort to learn that much at least.

Duo didn't speak much English but enough for him to make himself understood, even if his grammar left something to be desired. Wufei had showed Duo around in Beijing and the other man seemed to be about as overwhelmed as he had once been when he stepped off the train.

He kept him away from the industrial areas where he usually spent his time, choosing instead to show him only the tourist attractions, the temples and museums. Duo had been a fascinated follower, politely asking when he was wondering about something and listened attentively to everything he had to say.

The first day passed quickly but luckily Duo seemed to be a traditionalist and Wufei had not been forced to sleep with him the first night, instead Duo had checked them into a nice hotel in different rooms. It felt promising that he had enough respect for him to not rush it before all the papers were signed.

Then, just two days later it was time to take the plane to his new country.

Since they couldn't get married in China, Wufei had planned for them to do it as soon as they landed in a church close to the airport. He hadn't been all that happy about having to get married in a Christian church but had given in on that detail when Duo had wanted them to do the whole thing in his town church with his friends and family. Wufei had not been interested in that and had convinced Duo that it was necessary for the wedding to happen as soon as possible and that he would rather get to know his friends and family under less stressful circumstances. Thankfully Duo had agreed and with a smile he had told him that they could always get married again later on. Wufei had been forced to look away, unable to meet those kind eyes just then.

There would be no second wedding, there would only be the divorce.

His first time on a plane had been absolutely terrifying. He had never really thought about the trip itself aside from it being his way out. But as the plane started to accelerate, his stomach dropped and fear had rushed through him. The plane went even faster and as the wheals left the ground with a quick skip, Wufei had been convinced that he was going it die.

He startled when a large hand suddenly wrapped itself around his where it was balled into a tight fist. He looked up at Duo who was sitting to his left next to the window. "It is alright, this normal. Better later." He told him calmly, his voice strong and confident. Wufei found himself looking into those kind eyes and believing him. It was ridicules, Duo had no control over the airplane or what would happen to it, but that did not stop Wufei from believing him. Until the plane leveled out, Wufei held his soon to be husband's hand in a desperate grip.

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They reached the church just an hour after the landing. He had made all the arrangements by phone and the whole thing was over in less the half an hour.

Duo was radiating happiness all the way through, his smile so big it seemed like his face was going to split. It was enough for Wufei to feel a small twitch of shame but he held his head high. He might be no better than a prostitute but he was not going to act like one. As the promises were given, a kiss shared and the papers signed, Wufei thought only of all the things he had been able to escape. Of hard labor for slave like payment, of being looked down on, of being forced to marry and father children and never living out all the things he wanted to do. Shame could not compare to that.

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He had carefully made sure that they would be leaving for his new home the same day, all to make sure that there would be no time for a wedding night. He knew that he would sooner or later have to spread his legs for his new husband but for now he just wanted to stall it as much as he could.

They drove for several hours in Duo's car. The car wasn't as fancy as the one the girl from the valley had been driven in, but it was well cared for and clean.

They didn't speak much. Duo's English was limited at best and Wufei knew even less of Duo's language. So with that they did not manage many conversations. Mostly they just drove with the radio on low. In the corner of his eye he could see Duo smiling gently at him every now and then, like he couldn't get enough of him. Wufei didn't know how to feel about that. In one way, it would be devastating if Duo decided to divorce him before they had been married for 18 months, thereby forcing him to go back to China. But on the other hand, he did not look forward to when he was going to have to pay what he owed in the flesh. And Duo did find him attractive, there was no doubt about that and while Wufei didn't find his husband repulsive he didn't want him up his ass. The few times he had taken part in that specific activity it had not been pleasant and he had a feeling that it was going to be far worse with Duo who's size would most likely be bigger than the boys he had given himself to. But that was a price he was willing to pay for his new life.

It was early morning when they finally arrived. Duo carefully shook him awake, telling him that they were home. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Wufei looked up through the windshield and got a first look of his new home.

It was a farm, that much he had already known, but it didn't look like any farm he had ever seen before. There was a large house in the middle, two floors with large windows and a wide front porch. To the right were a huge garage with doors all the way up to the roof and to the left what could only be a stable and a barn. It wasn't a palace but it didn't speak of poverty like all the farms Wufei had seen and worked on. All buildings had fresh paint on them, there were healthy plants growing in pots in the windows and on the porch and everything looked clean and well cared for. Trying to take everything in, Wufei opened the door and stepped out.

Duo was grinning happily at him as he came around from the back of the car, carrying their luggage with him. Wufei glanced at the worn bag that contained everything he owned. For a second it represented everything he had been trying to escape and he almost told Duo to throw it away.

"Come, time to sleep." Duo said, motioning him to follow.

Wufei suddenly felt dread pooling in his stomach. He might have been able to escape his weeding night but that did not mean that Duo wouldn't want to sample the goods at first chance.

Behind him the sun was rising but he didn't spare it a glance as he with heavy steps followed the other man up the steps to the porch and in through the unlocked door. Duo turned on the light, revealing a large hallway with green wallpaper and lots of paintings. They paused to take their shoes off and continued over miss matching carpets and passed worn furniture.

Wufei's eyes flew back and forth, taking in everything. Most of the paintings portrayed forests and lakes, very much like the view Wufei had seen through the window on their way there. The furniture seemed to be well made but old. He wondered if Duo couldn't afford new ones or if he simply felt no need for it. The corridor ended at the foot of a stair case. To his right Wufei could see a dim kitchen through a doorway and straight ahead was what he assumed was a bathroom, going by the WC, sign on the door.

Duo started walking up the dark stairs and Wufei reluctantly followed him, his heart beating rapidly and his throat dry. "Light no work." Duo told him, giving him an embarrassed smile. "I fix tomorrow."

Wufei couldn't care let about the lack of light, he was far too worried about what would happen when they reached the bedroom.

As they came to the top, Duo opened a door to the left, stepped in and turned on the lights. Wufei forced himself to follow, his eyes instantly searching out the bed. And there was a bed in there, but not one that he had expected. It was a single.

He looked over at Duo who put his bag filled with memories down on a white painted stool.

"My room end of hall, bathroom there." Duo pointed straight out the open door but Wufei didn't follow the finger with his eyes, too busy trying to catch up with what was going on.

"Good night. Sleep well" Duo said gently, hesitating for a moment before slowly bending down to kiss him gently on the cheek.

Wufei blinked in surprise, watching his now blushing husband leave, closing the door behind him.

For a moment Wufei would only stand there. He felt like he would have been less shocked if Duo had flown out the window. He looked around the room that was obviously only meant for one person. There was a neatly made bed with a light blue bedcover, a large wooded wardrobe with double doors that had carefully carved pictures of flowers in different shapes and sizes. Next to the window stood an elegant chest of drawers with a thin white table cloth, on top of which stood a large vase with fresh wild flowers. The whole room gave him a feeling that Duo had put the best furniture in the house together in this one room.

Tired to the bone, Wufei walked over to the window along the far side of the room. He pulled the drapes down, shutting out the morning rays. Turning around he went to sit down on the edge of the bed, relief singing through his whole body, making his knees weak.

He had never been so grateful for choosing kind eyes over money and connections. He sent a prayer of thanks up to the gods of his childhood.

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He didn't know how long he had slept but it felt like several hours. He still felt tired and worn but didn't consider it be to reason enough to stay in bed. He got out of the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in, mind racing with thoughts and guesses about what the day would hold.

Trying to guess what time of the day it was he pulled the blinds up. The first thing he saw was the sun that was high in the air, the second was Duo who was walking across the yard, leading a large elegant horse along.

Wufei watched from behind the thin white curtain how Duo spoke the large animal, stroking its hair away from its eyes. It was a comforting sight. Turning away, Wufei got dressed, visited the bathroom and walked slowly down the stairs. The lights seemed to be working now and all the cables and the lamp looked brand new. Wufei quietly wondered how Duo had managed to put that up without waking him.

He make his way to the kitchen where he found some bread and milk, his eyes never leaving the window as he ate. He watched Duo brush the animal down in long calm motions. A large black and brown dog lay in the shadow of the horse, its tail thumping against the ground every now and then.

Trying to mentally prepare himself, Wufei waited for several minutes, wishing for strength. Then he walked out on the porch and into the afternoon sunlight. Duo smiled happily when he saw him. "Good morning, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you." Wufei hesitated for a moment. He didn't know what to say or do, every day interactions were not something he had been able to plan for. "It's a nice house." He tried, shifting his feet awkwardly.

"Thank you. My family live here for four… four…" Duo trailed off, seeming to search for a missing word.

"Generations?" Wufei suggested and Duo nodded happily.

"Yes, generations. My father's grandfather built this house." Duo clapped the horse on its neck as it bumped its head into his chest but his eyes never left Wufei. "Would you like a look around?"

"Yes, thank you. That would be nice."

Duo beamed. "Just have to let Jessica out." With a clicking noise he got the horse moving, walking across the yard and in between the two barns where a small path lead them down towards a enclosed pasture.

Wufei followed at a safe distance. The horses he was used to were a hell of a lot smaller while that thing made even Duo look small. It was a beautiful animal, he would admit. Dark and proud as it followed its master with its head held high.

They reached the wire fence and Duo stopped at a pole where a power box was attached and flicked a switch. "Don't touch railing if not off." Duo told him, pointing at the switch as he lead the horse forward.

Wufei watched as Duo opened the gate that swung open with a low screeching noise. Speaking softly to the large animal, Duo took off the headcollar before stepping back to give the horse a slap on the rump. It seemed to huff in protest before starting to galloped towards another horse grazing further down the hill.

Closing the gate carefully, Duo then turned back to him. "Come, let's look around." Duo said, giving him a smile as they started to walk back up towards the yard, pausing only to turn the switch back on. They were met by the large dog who happily wagged its tail when it saw them coming.

It stopped briefly to smell Wufei's hand but ran over to Duo when he called it over. "This is Obby. Nice girl. Just say no if she does bad." Duo told him, ruffling the fur of the happy looking dog who was leaning against his legs. Wufei, who was actually quite fond of dogs nodded, liking the way Duo's strong hands gently handled the dog.

They walked back along the path up to the yard and over to the barn to the left. It wasn't as tall as the other one but wider. Duo open the bar to the large, blue pained door and swung it open. The light was dim and the air smelled heavily of hay, damp concrete and cow dung.

"This is the… um, cow…house?" Duo said uncertainly as they stepped in.

"Barn." Wufei said, taking a look around the large building. There were two long rows of square platforms, all separated with metal rails. Along the rows a shallow ditch stretched out, obviously meant to hold the droppings.

"Barn." Duo tasted the word. "Yes, barn for cows, barn for horses other side of wall. Barn for… dried grass?"

"Hay." Wufei told him, reaching down to pet Obby who had followed them in.

"Barn for hay is next building." Duo said, pointing down the length of the building.

Wufei looked over the empty partitions, there were room for at least thirty cows but only five looked used and had saw dust in them. Five probably wasn't enough to make any real money out of the milk. Just what did Duo live on?

"Come on, hay not much to see. Garage next." Duo said, waving him along.

They walked back out into the sun shine, Duo closing the door behind them. A swallow flew over their heads, it's path coming to an end at a nest under the edge of the roof. Wufei watched it for a moment as it feed it's young, feeling a strange sort of peace at the sight.

When he turned his eyes back to Duo he noticed the gently smile directed at him before being waved along once again.

The garage they entered was huge, the biggest he had ever seen. In the far end stood two large tractors, Duo's car and a beaten up motorcross. In the middle were several work benches and right ahead were a couple of larger machines. A tracksaw, a drill and a couple more that Wufei couldn't identify. He looked away from them, remembering his time in the box factory. He really hated industrial work more than anything but he had a feeling that this was where Duo spent most of his time. There seemed to be sort of an organized chaos around the work benches. You could tell that the owner to it all knew how to use all those tools and did so often.

He followed Duo around the large room, listening as his husband in stumbling English took him through his sanctuary. From there they moved on to the house. The kitchen, a living room, bathroom and a dining room that looked more than a little unused. Up the stairs, along the corridor and into all the bedrooms and a second kitchen since the house seemed to originally have been built to fit two families. There were so many things to see and try to understand that Wufei was getting dizzy.

Maybe he was very obvious about it or maybe his husband was a mind reader because Duo stopped in the middle of telling him about the farms hundred year old history. "Would you like a walk?" Duo asked carefully, giving him a careful look.

Wufei felt his shoulders start to relax. "A walk?"

"Yes, around..." Duo made a motion with his hand to indicate all the land around them.

That sounded like a fantastic idea. He needed to get out into the fresh air, not to mention that he had been curious to know just how much land Duo owned. It would be good to know just how much properly was involved when it became time for the divorce. "Sure."

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Wufei breathed deeply as they started walking down the road in a slow pace. Obby followed them closely, going from one to the other to get attention. Wufei took in the landscape around them. The fields, the forest and the stray patch of wild flowers. He watched the straw on the fields dance in the wind, softly swaying. It reminded him of home, but not in a bad way. There had been good times too, he would admit. Days of working hard with friends and family, coming home to share a meal where everyone was tired but happy. They had all known their place in the world and even if you weren't happy with it, you still knew where you stood. Here, in this strange new country, Wufei felt like a leaf in the wind. No directions, nothing certain. All he had was his plan.

Wufei didn't know why he had decided to marry a farmer when farms were what he had been trying to get away from. Maybe it had been more than just kind eyes that had swayed him in Duo's direction. Maybe he had wanted something familiar too. Everything was so new, there was so many things he would have to learn and adapt to.

Farmers were… normal. They lived for their farms. They were simple. Uncomplicated.

"There is cows." Duo said suddenly, pointing out over a meadow. In the distance Wufei could see black and white animals lying in the grass, relaxing after a long day of grass eating. Wufei glanced up at the proud smile on Duo's face. The man really was a farmer all the way through, he loved those animals, he loved his fields, the forest and every single wildflower along the road. This was his home.

Wufei turned his eyes back to the cows, silently wondering when he would ever find a place where he could feel fully at home.

The sun was going down over the trees by the time they turned back and all around them nature was preparing for the night. As they stepped into the house, Wufei voiced the question he had been carrying in the back of his head since the start. "So how much land do you own?" He asked, hopping he didn't sound too eager.

"All is…" Duo started as he walked towards the kitchen, Wufei and Obby following him closely behind. "Twenty-five… twenty five…" Duo made a frustrated noise and disappeared out the door towards the living room. He returned a minute later with a bundle of folded maps. He flipped through them briefly before choosing one of them that he pulled out to put in the middle of the kitchen table. Wufei stepped in closer, watching curiously.

Duo opened up the large map half way. "This is farm," He said, pointing at a couple of small brown squares. He dragged his finger all the way down to the bottom, pointing at a stream. "From here." Duo mumbled as he unfolded the whole map, Wufei's eyes going wide as he saw the lined landscape spread out before him. "To here." Duo said with a frown as he hovered his hand about a meter away from the table covering map. "Need better one." He complained, scratching his chin as he looked down on it.

Wufei sat down hard, his knees hitting part of the huge map that hung over the edge of the kitchen table. It seemed like he had hit the jackpot.

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A/N

Well that was the second chapter. I did my best to make it longer then the three pages I had planned.

Please let me know what you thought and slap me over the head with a list of mistakes I've made.

**_roses in bloom_** – Glad you think so :D Even if I'm a bit surprise you're not taking my head off for writing new stuff instead of updating my other fictions ;) **_Ember ShadowFur_** – Oh there will be more, I'm going to try to update pretty often. Let me know if you find any more idiotic spelling mistakes. I'm going to make a wild guess and claim that there are several. **_Florenz_** – No, with Duo's personality he shouldn't have to get a guy over the internet like this, but I think this chapter kind of explains it. Or at least I hope so.**_NarrowDoorways_** – Thank you again for pointing out 'ticket' it totally destroyed the final touch. You rock.**_ Salazar Maxwell_** – Naughty girl, reading fanfiction when you should be working ;) I'm happy you like it so far. Duo is without a doubt in love. Wufei… no, not what so ever. You are just going to have to wait and see if he changes his mind.**_ Chicookie_** – Thank you, glad to be able to make you take a break. Hm, probably posted this too late to be able to do it again. Oh well.**_ HybridPlaything_** - -blushes- Thank you, I do try :) Hopefully I will manage to keep peoples interest as the story goes along since it will probably be pretty slow.


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

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Wufei looked around the forest he was standing in. He had been walking for hours and he had yet to find the stream that draw the line to the end of Duo's land. The last few days it had become something of a quest to see if he was able to reach it before noon when it was time to turn around.

He had an old compass that Duo had found him and a worn map that seemed to have lived through it all but still he had not found the stream.

Duo had seemed pleased that he was so interested in his land and had happily recommended paths and sights that he thought he should watch out for. These walks had turned out to be very enjoyable and Wufei marveled at the difference in nature. While he was used to forests and mountains he had never seen any like this. The difference was everywhere but he still felt content in the silence around him.

As he walked he thought. He thought about the things he had left behind. He thought about his parents, his siblings and their families. He wondered if he was ever going to see them again.

He thought about his plan. He thought about his ideas and his dreams.

He thought about Duo.

It wasn't hard to figure out why Duo hadn't found a man from his own country. The farm was a couple of miles from the closest city, nothing but trees, fields and mountains as far as the eyes could see. Wufei had a hard time believing that there were many homosexuals around in the area. So where would a man like Duo go to find a man ready to drop everything to move out into the middle of nowhere?

Leaving would never be an option to Duo. He might be young, just two years older than Wufei but he acted like he had managed his farm for twenty years and would continue until he kneeled over.

Wufei sighed, carefully brushing away pinecones and dirt from a rock before taking a seat. It must be pretty lonely out there on the farm with only his animals as company. From what he had found out the only people who came by regularly was two men who came by to help with the farm and two school girls who rode their bikes there a couple of times a week to ride the horses. Other than that, Duo was all alone.

A couple of small birds flew over his head, chasing each other high up into the air. Wufei watched the dance as his thoughts continued to roll.

Looking down at his watch he saw that it was almost noon. He brought the map out and made a mark for how far he had gotten. It was no new record, but still a morning well spent. Deciding to sit for just a little while longer, Wufei went back to watching the birds.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

With a sigh, Wufei looked out the window as the rain fell down hard. He could hardly see the barn through it. Wufei had never had the pleasure of being bored before, not this kind of boredom at least. He had nothing to do, absolutely nothing. He wasn't about to become Duo's little house wife and start cooking and cleaning, at least not voluntarily. If he was told to he would have to reevaluate his decision but until that he was not doing it.

The result was that he had absolutely nothing to spend his time on. Especially if it was raining and he couldn't take his walks.

With a sigh he looked away from the kitchen window, holding his barely still warm tea mug in his hands. It had a chip on the rim and had started to crack a bit, not to mention that it was ugly as hell with its smiling tractor on the front but he liked the shape of it so he still used it every day. Now he simply held it, dragging his thump back and forth over the faulty rim. Duo was taking apart some kind of electronic device at the kitchen table, his full attention on the small screw driver as he worked. By his feet, Obby was sleeping under the table with a worn rubber chew toy. Everything was calm, the only sound coming from the grandfather clock in the living room that made itself known every now and then.

And Wufei was bored. He was so bored he felt his brain drying out from the lack of use. By god he missed his books, the precious books he had collected through the years but had been forced to leave in his old village. What he wouldn't do to have one of them in his hands right now.

He looked over at Duo's bent head. "You wouldn't happen to have any books in English do you?" He asked, unable to hold back the sarcastic tone in his voice. The chance of that was slim to non.

Duo seemed to think for a moment and then a heartbreaking sadness flashed across his face. "Yes. Come."

Curiously Wufei followed his husband through the kitchen, further into a hallway and instead of turning to the right into the living room he walked over to a door to the left that had been partly hidden by the bulk of a cabinet. He seemed to hesitate for just a moment before stepping in.

At a first glance it seemed to be a storage room but at closer inspection turned out to be a bedroom that just had a lot of boxes standing around.

"This boxes." Duo said, pointing at three large cardboard boxes that was standing next to an empty bookshelf. "Some English, have to search."

Wufei blinked at the short tone his husband used, unsure if his own bad mood had reflected on Duo or if there was something else. "Thank you."

Duo nodded and with long steps he quickly left with his eyes straight forward.

Wufei turned to the boxes, carefully opening the first one. It was as promised filled with book, but it did not seem to have any in English. Damn.

Moving a couple of photo albums to the side, Wufei picked up a book at random, noting the worn edges that indicated that it had been well loved. He flipped it open and his eyes landed on a hand written message. He had tried to learn as much as he could of this new language and while he didn't understand much he could translate the words written on the first page.

_Happy Birthday Hilde from Duo._

Now who was Hilde? Curiosity got the best of him and he picked up the albums and sat down on the floor.

The first album contained mostly baby pictures and later on, pictures of a young girl with piggy tails. He noticed the obvious resemblance to his husband and figure that she had to be his sister. And while he couldn't understand the writing next to the photos, his eyes instantly landed on that name. Hilde. Ah yes, that explained it. Wufei flipped through the pages, hopping for a glimpse of Duo. But it wasn't until the second album that he got to see those familiar eyes.

A happily smiling baby with large blue eyes looked up at him from the very first page and Wufei found himself smiling as well. Duo had been a ridiculously cute baby and Wufei enjoyed himself tremendously as he watched the child play with balls, chew on Barbie dolls and droll on his parents and big sister.

The third album contained birthdays and trips, pictures of the two siblings riding horses, of camping in the woods, of smiling grandparents and a motocross driving Duo.

Then the album suddenly ended abruptly, leaving several pages empty. Wufei frowned and picked up the next and instantly noticed the difference. There was no girl with a long braid in them. Instead there were only Duo and his parents and a hollow look in their eyes.

The photos in this album was taken further and further apart and in fascination he watched Duo's hair grow until it was even longer then his sister's had once been.

He went back to the last picture in the second album. In it Hilde was sitting next to a teenaged Duo, eating ice cream and smiling up at the camera. She couldn't have been older than eighteen but she looked pale and thin, her eyes tired. The siblings were holding hands and the grip seemed painfully tight, like they were afraid that the other would fade away if they let go.

Feeling like he was invading Duo's privacy he put the albums back and went back to his book searching.

His heart wasn't in it anymore but he found some books in English. Most of the books in the boxes were just romantic novels that Wufei didn't have any really interest in, that is, until he found two copies of the same book –in two different languages.

Wufei gave the blond swooning woman on the front a skeptic look but he put them in the pile to take with him. He was going to have to learn this strange sounding language as soon as he could if he wanted his plan to work.

There were a couple of mystery novels and a biography about some lesbian author that seemed promising. He also found a dictionary, which was going to be a big help. Learning this language was going to take a while, he could tell.

Leaning back against the boxes, Wufei opened the English version of the romantic novel. He was going to stay in there while he read it because he didn't want the other man to see him read a book with the title Forbidden Passion with a half dressed pirate and a dazed maiden on the front. He would not survive the embarrassment.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Wufei was sitting on the porch swing, the tip of his foot pushing gently to get him moving. He had a book open in his lap but he wasn't reading it.

The sun was shining, a light breeze making the plants in the flower pots wave. It had rained again during the morning and the ground was wet and filled with muddy water puddles. The air had a moist and fresh smell making him breathe deeply. Duo was working as usual, this time in the stable with the horses. Wufei was unsure about what he was supposed to do around the place. Duo didn't demand anything from him. He didn't tell him to help out on the farm, didn't tell him to cook or clean. He seemed to be content to just have him there, seemed to take great pleasure in spoiling him in any way he could.

Wufei had been there for over a week now, almost two. They had gotten into a comfortable routine.

Duo got up to take care of his cows, took a walk up to the mailbox at the end of the road and made breakfast. So by the time Wufei got up he just had to sit down and eat. Then Duo went back out to work while Wufei got his boots on and went to take a long walk through the forest. He would get back in the afternoon, read a bit, work on his plan then Duo would make dinner. They ate together then Wufei read some more while Duo either did the same or went off to do god knows what. Then at ten they went to bed. Separate beds.

Wufei gave the wooden swing an extra push in frustration. Duo had still not made any move to approach him sexually which was a bit of a mystery. Duo might be a very polite and considerate man, but he was still a man. Wufei had caught his husband looking at him in lust several times but still he did nothing. It made Wufei uneasy, he didn't know what to expect.

Duo had taken him all the way into the closest city a few days ago and helped him find some new clothes, something he had been in great need of.

At one point Duo had opened the door to the fitting room to hand him a new pair of jeans just as Wufei dropped his pants. Wufei had never seen anyone retreat so fast in his life. Peeking out through the doorway he had caught sight of Duo as the other man took a deep breath and thumped his forehead into the wall with a tortured look on his face. Duo wanted him but still he would not touch him.

Wufei was brought out of his thoughts as Duo came out from the stable, leading the smaller of the two horses out into the sunshine and tying it to a low pole.

He watched as he brushed it down, taking great care to get it done properly. Duo moved with practiced ease, like he and the horse had done this so many times that the both of them could do it in their sleep. The big animal lifted one hoof at a time, letting Duo clean the underside. It only seemed to protest when Duo went to check its ears but a sharp noise from Duo made it lower its head in acceptance.

Duo must have seen him watching because with one hand resting in between the horse's eyes he called out to him with a smile. "You want to ride?"

Wufei gave the large horse a suspicious look. He might have worked with horses before but they were meant to pull wagons or ploy fields, not to be ridden. They had also been a lot smaller.

"Be easy, Lilla My is nice girl. Only bite a little bit." Duo said with a grin, waving him over.

Reluctantly, Wufei put his book down on the seat next to him and got up. He eyed the animal suspiciously. It looked right back at him. It didn't look impressed as it snorted and bent it's head to nibble at some weeds.

Duo got the other horse out, tying it up close by. He saddled both horse easily with quick well practiced movements. Pulling straps, adjusting buckles and giving the smaller horse the evil eye as she made a move to bite as he pulled the new head collar over her ears.

Duo handed him a black helmet, pulling one on as well. Wufei put in on and fumbled with the straps, not finding how he was supposed to fasten it. Duo bent down and changed the length of the straps. This close Wufei could see every freckle and line on his husbands face. In the light his eyes looked more purple then blue and Wufei admitted quietly that the man actually was quite handsome. Duo fastened the helmet with a click, stepping back to hold on to the smaller horse's collar.

Taking a deep breath, telling himself that he was no coward, Wufei took a hold of the saddle. He needed two tried before he got up right. He could see Duo hovering in the corner of his eye but the other man didn't interfere for which he was grateful.

Duo easily swung himself up into the saddle of the larger horse. Wufei listened intently as he was given a short list of actions and commands to give before Duo with just a smack with his lips got his horse moving. Wufei's own horse didn't seem to be all that interested in him or what he was doing, she simply followed the other horse. Wufei was just fine with this and he relaxed as the beast under him carried him over the yard towards the dirt road that would lead them away from home.

As they passed the hay barn where the farm hands were lifting sacks down from the back of a pick up, Wufei could see the way they were looking at him. He knew what they thought of him. They thought he was taking advantage of Duo, that he was playing him for his money. And he was, it was exactly what he was doing. Everyone knew it, everyone but Duo. Wufei would ask for the divorce in just eighteen months, and that was all there was to it.

Ignoring the poisonous looks, Wufei held his head high as Duo led him away from the yard and out to the dirt road. They road along, passing several fields only to take a right turn off the road to follow a tractor patch into the forest. They didn't speak and Wufei felt a calmness settle in as the forest worked its magic on his nerves. The only sound was of the wind in the trees, hooves against the soft ground and the occasional bee. Absently he watched Duo's straight back ahead of him and the long braid trailing down in. Such a strange haircut on a man.

A fox gave them a curious look as they passed it, as if it was trying to figure out what they were. Wufei watched it over his shoulder until they came out of sight. He was really starting to like this forest.

Then the path lead them out of the woods, following the edge of a field. A large red tractor was plowing up deep tracks in the ground and the sky was filled with birds that feasted on the up turned insects.

Duo stopped the horse, calling out a name with a wave. The tractor came to a stop, the rumbling engine cutting off with a couch. The door opened and a woman in her late middle ages climbed out. With hurried steps she jogged towards them in her rubber boots.

Duo spoke rapidly with her, Wufei only recognizing his name in the outpour of strange sounding words. The woman smiled and nodded as Duo's happiness rushed down over her. Wufei felt a twitch of resentment that she could have this kind of conversation with Duo while he could barely ask him how his day has been. He really had to learn this stupid language.

The middle age woman stepped over to him, easily avoiding the nibbling horse. "It's nice finally met you, you been all he's been talking about ." She said, pulling her gloves off to reach up and shake his hand. "I'm Johanna, my husband Glen and me are your closest neighbors. Take a left over by mailboxes and you'll get to our farm. Come find us if you need anything."

Wufei smiled, she reminded him of an aunt of his. Always happy, always ready to give a helping and always thinking that you needed her help. "Ah, thank you. It's good to know."

"So how you like our corner of the world so far?" She asked, a hand shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him with a grin.

The last week flashed before his eyes and Wufei found that he didn't have to lie to be polite. "It's very different from back home but in a way, just the same. Trees are trees, mountains are mountains and cows are cows. It's really just another part of the same planet."

"Very poetical." She said with a smile, glancing over at Duo who was beaming. "You just make sure to keep an eye on that one." She pointed with her thump towards Duo. "He might be all grown up but he's still the same kid who broke his leg jumping off my barn and sat fire to his toy cars to make them go faster. " She said, ignoring Duo's protest. "Not an evil bone in his body but he's dumb as a goose."

Wufei laughed, more at Duo's pout then her words. "I'll keep it in mind."

She nodded, turning over to Duo. "Caroline will be home next week, why don't the two of you come over for dinner then?"

Duo smiled. "Sounds good." He straightened up in his saddle. "Well, we'll let you get back to work. Give me a call when you want us over."

"I would if you would keep your cellphone with you!" She called after him as he got his horse moving, in turn making Wufei's horse start walking as well.

"Nice to meet you Wufei." She said as he passed her, throwing a 'you too' over his shoulder.

They rode along the field, seeing the other farm in a distance. They passed a meadow with tired looking cows then they turned a left onto the dirt road again.

"Want to go faster?" Duo asked with a grin, twisting to look at him with a twinkle in his eyes.

Wufei nodded. Why the hell not.

"It be fun." Duo turned the horse around to come up beside him, turning again until they were side by side. "When horse go down, you go up." Duo said, lifting himself up with the stirrups to show him. "Or else will just bounce around."

Wufei couldn't help but admire Duo's muscular legs and ass in those worn old jeans as he watched and listened to the instructions. The man's physics were nothing you could complain about, at least from what Wufei had seen. A man this well built should not be as sexually repressed as he was. It couldn't be healthy.

Then, as the horses was running down the road, making dirt fly and wind rip through his clothes and hair, Wufei had a thought. If Duo wouldn't have sex with him, Wufei himself wasn't going to get laid at all.

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A/N

A question. I got the question what country they are in by several people. I usually try to avoid placing them in a county (have actually only done it in one story) since I want the reader to get to fit the story in where ever they want. But now I ask, should I pick a country for them to be in?

_**suicidal-sinner**_ – Glad to hear that you have confidence in me, I'll try to live up to it ;) _**LionsChild**_ – Yeah for some stupid reason I keep starting up new stuff before I finish my old. But I'm glad you like it thou :) _**Florenz**_ – The family reaction should come in a chapter or two. Until then there will just be friends and neighbors to meet the catalog-groom. _**Jazzy**_ – More fluff and drama is coming up! :D Happy to hear you like my stories, I try to put them in different sceneries as much as I can. It's just so much fun :) _**Shadowdragon**_ –I'll see what I can do about Normal People. I start work next week but should find some time for it. Duo might not be very good at English, but who needs to when there is Google translate and other very good programs? Take it from me, speaking English over the internet is far from the same as opening your mouth to try to speak it. Sad but true. _**roses in bloom**_ – Good thing that you can adapt ;) Duo does seem shy, doesn't he? I kind of wanted Wufei to feel like he was in control and being the one who could speak the language does that. Duo might be the one who has the money and the one who brought him there, but Wufei is in charge. _**P. Cythera**_ – Glad to hear it :) I might tell what country I had in mind, I just might. _**HybridPlaything**_ – I'm actually using a real person as a model for Duo. This elderly man lived in the house he had been born in, far out in the middle of the forest with no running water. He used to have both cows, horses, pigs and chickens. His wife had died early so he raised his kids on his own, took care of his animals, his fields and forest. I later found out that this old man, who lived on basically nothing, was actually a multi millionaire because he used to own all the surrounding land. This includes the land where my apartment building is now standing and it's pretty far from there O_o But since I want Duo to have at least some free time, unlike that man, he actually has people working for him to take care of the land.

_**Chicookie**_ – We'll see. I actually think Wufei is a bit slow so it might take a while before Duo wins him over. I'm glad to hear that you think me English works, that's a relief to know :) _**Rosedreams**_ – Thank you :) I'll try to update it as often as I can. _**becca-chan'05**_ – I can tell that you want to know the country, maybe I'll tell you. You think I should? Otherwise there will be hints as the story goes along. _**Vicantis**_ - Maybe it was unclear but in this story Duo is not American. He did learn English in school but that doesn't mean he was very good at it or that he has spent a lot of time speaking it. Wufei on the other hand learned it with the goal that he was going to use it a lot, so thereby he is a lot better at it.


	4. Chapter 4

Still unbetad

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Chapter 4

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As the days went by, there was one thing Wufei learned about his new husband. He was always working on something. If he wasn't milking the cows he was cleaning, cooking or repairing something. Wufei didn't know how he made the hours of the day last for the endless list of duties he had.

Wufei, who had never had so little to do, watched it in fascination at a safe distanced. Sitting on the porch swing he watched Duo walk in and out between the buildings, carrying everything from tools to angry barn cats.

For the last hour or so, Duo had been emptying cow muck into the huge container further down the hill. Wufei didn't really know what he was going to do with it but he wasn't going to ask. He didn't want to seem too interested because… because… he didn't really know why. He just didn't want to take a part in the everyday life of the farm. Maybe… he just didn't want to get attached to any of it. He wasn't going to stay after all and what good would it do to get used to living there.

After leaving the wheelbarrow by the barn, Duo went around the corner of the house, pulling his work cloves off and wiping the sweat from his face. Wufei watched him go, feeling like he was watching the life of someone else through their eyes. It still felt so strange to be here, to have gotten this far. It was just the way he wanted but still so hard to grasp. There were still so many things he did not understand and there were a thousand things he was going to have to learn before he was ready to spread his wings in this new country.

Wufei tapped his finger against the cover of his book. The romantic novel was turning out to be more entertaining than he had first thought and after borrowing the paper cover from another book, Wufei could now take it with him when he left the old bedroom. He just really hopped that Rose, the main character would get her head out of her ass and realize that she was already in love with the pirate instead of agreeing to marry Lord Barton just because it had been her childhood dream. The Lord, who according to Wufei seemed like kind of a sissy, who should hock up with that blond man servant that followed him around everywhere. Wufei once again tapped his finger against the cover, glancing over at the corner of the house. What was taking Duo so long? It was almost time for dinner.

Putting the book down, Wufei got off the swing and walked down to the yard. The first thing he saw when he turned the corner was a lot of naked skin as Duo leaned down over a barrel by the wall with his back towards him. His chest was bare and his old baggy pants hung low, showing just a hint of a valley between two firm hills. Scooping water up with his hands, Duo washed off the sweat and dust.

Wufei felt his breath catch at the sight of all that naked skin and well developed muscles. The last thing he had expected when he married an unknown man from a foreign country was to go without sex. He had had thought that he was going to earn his keep on his knees, kind eyes or no kind eyes. But this…

With one hand holding on to his growing arousal, Wufei watched his husband scoop up handfuls of water and washing his suntanned skin. Water ran down the muscular back, soaking into the waist line of his jeans. He watched the flexing muscles, the wide shoulders and the way that nice ass looked as he bent over.

Then as Duo throw his braid over his shoulder and straightened back up, Wufei quickly jumped back behind the corner of the house, his heart beating too fast. Feeling something like panic, Wufei just about ran into the house, leaving his book behind as he hurried up the stairs and into his room. With the door closed behind him, Wufei sank down on the edge of the bed. Looking down he stared at the bulge that were trying to convince him that it needed a hand.

What the fuck was going on? Wufei shock his head, he knew what was going on. He was just horny, there was nothing strange about that. Totally natural.

With his pants pushed down to the floor, Wufei took the problem in hand, his thoughts slipping back to wet naked skin.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The main character had finally gotten a clue and had gone off with the man of her dreams, the pirate that she had obviously been in love with from the start. Wufei was pleased and got to work with the translation, comparing the two books carefully. It was a bit difficult since the grammar appeared to be a bit different but with the dictionary close at hand, Wufei worked his way through page after page.

He would admit that he was giving his books a bit more attention then he would have done just last week but he tried not to think of why. It was embarrassing how just the sight of his husbands bare back would transform the other man to the point where everything he did made Wufei horny.

To simply watch Duo do the dishes was torture. White bubble up his suntanned arms, water drops dripping of strong, capable hands, washing cloth rubbing sensually over pots and plates. It made Wufei escape to his room within seconds for fear of Duo noticing the tent in his pants.

He was getting ready to leave right this second as Duo started to fill up the sink. He was already on edge from having watched Duo lick chicken grease off his fingers during dinner so he wasn't going to stay around for further temptation.

The shrieking phone signal breaking through the silence in the kitchen made him pause. With a reluctant sigh, Duo dried off his hands and went to answer it. It was always the same person calling right after dinner, often just when Duo had gotten his hands into the soapy water. Wufei relaxing back in his seat with his books, waiting for the usual greeting. It had to be Duo's cousin again, who apparently lived pretty far away but still kept in contact over the phone. And while his husband seemed to like his female relative just fine, she was obviously not very entertaining to talk to over the phone. Or be talked at more accurately. Wufei had seen the other man solving crossword puzzles with the phone jammed between his ear and shoulder while still making interested noises as if listening.

He frowned when Duo suddenly responded totally different then he usually did. There was someone new on the phone and Wufei didn't like it. Who would call here and what did they want?

Impatiently he waited until the call ended and Duo returned, once again pushing his shirt sleeves up as he went back to the dishes.

"Johanna called, we go to dinner with them tomorrow." Duo said, picking up the first plate.

"Oh." Wufei replied, fingers stroking the spine of his English copy as he thought. He did not necessarily want to have dinner with the neighbors but meeting some new people might be nice. "So her daughter is back I assume."

Duo nodded. "She home over weekend from school, she be old friend of me. We played when kids."

Wufei nodded, wondering what this old friend would think about his presence here. Hopefully she would be as supportive as her mother because if there was one thing Wufei didn't need it was another pair of eyes watching him in disapproval, he got enough of that from the farm hands.

He was about to question his husband more about this friend when Duo wrapped the washing cloth around the handle of a spatula, moving it up and down, up and down with white fume running down his hands. Wufei took his books and escaped.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Anna was apparently not only an old friend but also an old classmate of Duo's and they had gotten very close while growing up. Wufei watched from the side line as the two hugged and spoke rapidly with each other, smiling happily. Shifting awkwardly he looked away from them, feeling like the outsider he was. Then Duo reached out to touch his shoulder and brought him closer to introduce him to the suddenly suspicious woman in front of him.

"It's very nice to meet you." Wufei said, holding his hand out towards her, trying to sound like he meant it.

The handshake that followed was weak and unimpressed and she let him go almost instantly. "Yes, I've heard of you." She replied tightly, eyes never leaving his and Wufei stared right back. They were not up to a good start but Wufei refused to look away as if in shame, he had made his decisions and he stood by them.

Duo was glancing from one to the other, obviously getting agitated from the tension in the air.

Wufei tried to think of something to say that would lighten the mood and stop making Duo seem like he was about to fall to pieces from stress. Luckily Johanna chose this moment to step out onto the porch and welcome them in because dinner was on the table. The older woman linked their arms together, leading him along as she started telling him about the traditional meals in broken English. Wufei gratefully followed her, not mentioning that Duo had already treated him with most of the things she was mentioning. He was just glad to be taken away from the disapproving eyes of her daughter.

Dinner was a very pleasant affair. Wufei had been seated between Duo and Johanna, her husband sitting on the opposite side of the table. Anna was behaving politely as she talked to Duo while Wufei made sure to not look her way. He spoke mostly to Johanna and her husband. They were both very interested in cooking and he soon ended up in a very rewarding discussion about food preparations where he got to share his own experiences and food culture. Because if there was one thing he missed from home, it was the food. The spices, the texture, the taste and the smell. He would have killed for a properly cooked dumpling or some real noodles. Duo might be a pretty good cook but Chinese cooking were just superior to any other, it couldn't be compared. Not to mention that he was really sick of potatoes.

Then just before the dessert was about to be served, Wufei excused himself for a bathroom visit. He was in a good mood but it fell away quickly as he on his way back managed to get cornered as Anna stepped in his way.

"Yes?" He asked carefully, straightening his back as he prepared for the less them pleasant conversation he knew was going to follow.

"Just let me just get this straight." She said in a low dangerous voice, taking a step closer as if to intimidate him. "You met over the internet. You got married four days after you met… and now you're here." She continued slowly, eyes drilling holes in Wufei's head.

Wufei didn't respond, he just waited, crossing his arms defensively over his chest.

"Do you love him?" She asked, suspicion burning in her eyes.

"Yes." Wufei lied with a straight face.

It didn't look like she believed him and after a tense moment she said as much. "You are just using him you fucking _bastard_, you're playing with him and he believes you." She hissed.

"Well, I don't believe that it's up to you to question me." He replied, his face blank of emotions but on the inside he was burning in anger. How dared she confront him like this? She had no idea what he had lived through, the kind of hell he had escaped. She knew nothing of the injustice and the desperation he had been born into. All she knew was this rich land where everything was served to you from the moment you first opened your eyes. She knew nothing of working until your hands were raw and your back felt ready to break. She knew nothing about toiling in the factories where you worked day and night for pocket change, building things you would never be able to afford. Where you were not allowed to speak to the person sitting next to you and where you worked thirteen hours a day, eleven days straight. In a place where the company's solution to the high number of suicides among the workers was to put up gigantic nets around the factories to catch people barely out of their teens from spilling their intestines all over the parking lot. She knew nothing of the desperation that would make you do _anything_ to get away.

But before he could open his mouth to respond, the floorboards behind her creaked as Duo appeared around the corner. He looked sad, almost betrayed and Wufei found himself cold. He wished Duo hadn't found out the truth this way, that he would have been allowed to live in his illusion a bit longer.

He wished that hurting Duo wasn't inevitable.

But Duo didn't turn on him like he expected, instead it was Anna who was singled out as Duo went into a long speech where Wufei only managed to understand a fraction of it. Only knowing words from a romantic novel was slightly limiting but at the moment it seemed to be fitting. Wufei shifted uncomfortable behind Duo as the other man went on and on, enthusiastically gesticulating with his hands, his voice honest and devoted. It sounded like it was all very romantic… if you understood what he was saying. Wufei could pick up words like 'affection' and 'love' but not much else.

Whatever Duo said seemed to work on the woman because she put on a brave but sad smile and opened her arms to enfold her friend. Duo kept mumbling things in her ear and she closed her eyes and nodded. Wufei stayed silent, once again watching from the outside with an unforgiving tension freezing his body.

It wasn't until later when they said their good byes and left that Wufei felt that he could breath easily again.

"You okay?" Duo asked as they walked down the dirt road in the warm light of the sundown.

Wufei cleared his throat, lifting his eyes from the ground. "Yeah."

"She not bad person, just worried for me." Duo said, his kind eyes sad as they begged for understanding.

"I know." Wufei said, but that fact only made things worse. Because no matter how justified his actions were in his opinion, it was Duo who was going to be the one who suffered in the end. The other man was innocent in this affair but would be the one who paid the price when Wufei finally gained his freedom.

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It took Wufei a lot longer than he had planned to put the second part of his plan into motion. He had fallen into a comfortable rhythm here on the farm, doing the things he pleased when he pleased. But being lazy wasn't in his nature and it was now time to start working. He was going to spend the rest of his life in this country after all and to do that he needed an income. He couldn't live off the money he would get from the divorce forever and it was important to think of the future.

"I'm thinking of starting up a business." He said as he sat down on the other side of the breakfast table, giving his husband a steady look as the man looked up from his morning paper. This was the first obstacle, he needed money and Duo was the one with the money. He needed to convince his husband that he knew what he was doing and that investing in his new company would be profitable. He had it all prepared in his head, argument after argument carefully formulated to win the other man over.

Duo nodded, smiling encouragingly. "Okay, you need money to start it up?"

Wufei blinked in shock, all his perfect arguments coming to a complete stop on the tip of his tongue. He had been prepared to deliver his ideas in detail, to show how it was going to work and how well prepared he was. But Duo didn't seem to care what he needed the money for, he was just looking at him with that happy smile, wanting to help.

"Ah, yes. It would be very helpful." Was all he managed to say.

Duo's smile got even wider. "How much you need?"

"It's hard to tell but as a start… probably about 20 000." He said, waiting for objections. He would manage with 15, or even 10 000 but wanted to see what Duo would say.

Duo rubbed a hand along his freshly shaved chin. "It not be big company?"

Wufei's shoulders sank as he once again found himself off track. That was not the responds he had been waiting for. "Well, it might be if everything evolves according to plans. You can very rarely predict the consumers demand on the products."

Duo gave him a confused look, clearly gotten lost among the bigger words.

"You can never know if people want to buy." Wufei explained patiently.

"Of course." Duo agreed. "I fix money in afternoon, you need something more?"

"I- well, um." Wufei sank further, feeling unprepared despite all his preparations. There were a lot of things he was going to need but with Duo attentive eyes looking at him he couldn't remember them. He wasn't prepared for this kind of treatment, too used to having to fight for everything he wanted.

"What business you do?" Duo asked, reaching out for the tea pot to fill Wufei's smiling tractor mug.

"Import mostly." He said watching the tea flow. It was a very good tea, one that Duo had imported straight from China even before Wufei had arrived because he had once mentioned that it was his favorite. Just one more thing that Duo had done to please him and he wondered when that generosity was going to run out. How far could he push before Duo pushed back? "I've also been thinking about export, design and texture first of all. I have some contact with a company back in Beijing that has shown interest." The last was pushing the truth a bit. The representatives had been interested but unimpressed by Wufei's lack of product samples. He really needed to learn this damned language so that he could get better contact with the suppliers.

Duo made a thoughtful sound. "You need computer and office then, a desk, some shelves, a good chair maybe phone. Yes, of course you need phone too,"

Wufei stared.

Duo nodded and stood up. "I feed horses, then shower. We can go town after."

"Okay." Wufei said because he really had nothing more to say.

Automatically reaching out to take a sip from his mug, Wufei tried to figure out how the hell his plans had been disturbed and still gotten him more than he had been expecting.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

A few days later, Wufei had a brand new credit card with 30 000 on it, a top of the line cell phone and an office.

Duo had cleaned out his sister's old room on the bottom floor, put up new wallpaper, painted the ceiling and gotten him a sturdy desk in a dark wood from one of the other rooms. And at the moment he was out in the garage, making him shelves where he would be able to put all his paperwork. The whole thing seemed almost therapeutic because Duo had dived straight into the project, dropping almost everything else.

Despite the missing shelves, Wufei had everything perfectly organized. He had made sure to write down all the people he needed to contact. He had gotten his business license and sent in all the papers concerning taxes and registration.

He had everything ready for import.

But it was in the middle of the night in China and non of the people he needed to talk to would appreciate his call at the moment. Not having much else to do but feeling too restless to read, Wufei wandered out of the house, onto the yard, following the sound of rumbling machinery over to the large garage.

Wufei peeked in through the open door, watching his husband work. Duo was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt, the only addition was the gloves and the protective mask over his face. With confident movements he brought the wood up against the spinning saw, pushing it forward. The sawdust flew and the machine roared.

Giving the cut a critical look, Duo turned the saw off. As the blade slowed down, Wufei watched as Duo turned away to bring the plank up on the work bench, pushing the face protector up on top of his head. Several tools that Wufei barely recognized were used to check that the piece was acceptable, then he started to work it over with sandpaper.

Duo seemed so content there, doing something he enjoyed and was good at. The radio was playing softly, the air smelling of sawdust and oil. Every surface around him was covered in different kind of tools, pieces of paper and abandoned mugs since Duo seemed incapable of organizing things. It didn't seem to bother him because he appeared to be finding everything he needed when he needed it. Wufei hung back in the doorway, fighting a strange urge to go watch him work up close.

But what would be the point? He would just be distracting his husband and it wasn't like they could hold much of an intelligent conversation. Most of the things they said to each other were short and to the point, nothing more. Turning away, Wufei slowly went back to his new office

Closing the door behind him he went and sat down at his desk, hands stroking the smooth wood. The desk was old, he couldn't tell how old but it was just the feel of it that spoke of generations of people sitting down before it to work. The surface was neat and only contained a couple of files and Duo's computer that the other man had without a hesitation went up to his own bedroom to get.

Wufei's own computer wasn't going to be delivered until next week and while Wufei had tried to tell the other man that he would be fine until then, Duo hadn't taken no for an answer. His husband had taken him to the city to find him one and Wufei had been grateful, because while he knew how to use a computer, he knew next to nothing about what was inside one. This was where Duo stepped in.

Wufei had watched as Duo stalked through the computer stores, questioning and asking things that totally went over his head. He had been silently impressed with his husband's knowledge, having been under the impression that Duo only knew things about the work around the farm. From what he could understand, Duo had been unimpressed with what the stores had to offer and they had gone home empty handed. Well there Duo had ordered everything he thought Wufei needed from the internet and was going to install everything himself when it showed up.

Wufei sighed and started up the computer. In boredom he went online and found a few news pages from back home, reading up on things that didn't really concern him anymore. Without any real interest he then clicked up the bookmarks, finding that Duo had a _lot_ of them, all unsorted in a long line. Wufei wasn't surprised. The only place that had any type of order around here was the kitchen, the rest of the house seemed to have the order and neatness sucked right out of it when Duo came even lose. The man could make a mess just by breathing. Wufei needed a lot of stubborn determination to stop himself from cleaning up the spontaneous clutter that sprung out from nowhere. He was not going to be the man's maid unless he was specifically told to.

Turning his thoughts away from chaos generator that was his husband, Wufei started to look through the bookmarks in vague interest. The fist twenty or so was of farming, people who kept blogs about farming, history about farms, farming tools and breading programs. Then came a few articles about environmental preservation plans for farms followed by a page on how to build your own solourpower system that he found interesting, mainly because it was in English and he could actually understand it.

Then came a couple of online dating sites, both national and international followed by a couple of free porn sites that Wufei took time to memorize for when he had his own computer. Next on the list was a page Wufei recognized very well, having spent far too long there himself. Clicking the link took him straight to his old profile where the words 'user no longer available' in bright red letters met him. For a second he just stared at the page, feeling that it had been a life time since he had once sat in one of the badly ventilated rooms of the dating service, or the 'Lonely sucker market' as they had called it among themselves. Wufei had made a lot of friends among the other men there. They had lived together, eaten together, laughed, fucked and shared stories about all the crazy foreigners they had met online. He wondered what had happened to them all, were they still there, looking for the right guy to take them away? Had they found someone to marry? Were they happy? Were they being treated well? Were they feeling as lonely as he was in this strange new world where people kept doing things wrong and everything was so backwards?

Feeling curious he typed in the name of one of his friends in the search engine, finding only the red 'user no longer available'. He tried another and another. He tried more or less his whole dorm until he found someone who was still there. Feng Bai was a nice guy but his English was awful and he wasn't good looking enough to snatch someone by looks alone. Wufei hesitated for a moment, thinking that he should send him a message but not knowing what to say. _I made it out and I can see you didn't. You still stuck in the dorm in the basement? I'm in my own room in a large house with a husband who treats me well, gives me everything I want, cooks, cleans and does my laundry. I come and go as I please and I don't even have to let him fuck me. How about you? _

Would Bai want to know that? He stroke the edge of the desk as he thought about it. Would he want to hear from the other man if their rolls had been reversed? He didn't know and he stared intensely at the screen. And that's when he realized that Duo had an automatic log in.

He glanced out the window just in time to see Duo carry another plank into the garage. He shouldn't, he really shouldn't but he now had access to everything Duo had done on the dating site because everything was stored and Wufei knew how to find it.

The little white arrow hovered over 'history' and Wufei fought an inner battle between his honor and his curiosity. Because he was curious to see what kind of guys Duo had been interested in, what was his type and what they had talked about. It felt like he knew very little about his new husband and… he wanted to know more. He wanted to know why Duo had chosen him and not one of the others.

Feeling like an asshole but trying not to care, Wufei started searching through Duo's page history. He soon found the long list of all previous messages that Duo had sent, thinking that he should start in the bottom to work his way up.

But the list wasn't as long as he had thought and Wufei leaned back in his chair, staring at the screen. Then he scrolled the page further up and stared some more.

Duo had been a member of the page for two week before he had started to talk to him. During those two weeks he had exchanged messages with several men both from China, Taiwan and briefly with someone from Korea. Then, for the next months, Wufei had been the only one he had spoken to.

The list just repeated 'CWufei' over and over again, page after page after page that was broken only twice by messages to the support page about having problem with the log in.

That was just… that was weird. Why would he do that? There were hundreds of guys from all over that he could have spoken to, but instead he had settled for talking to _him_. Wufei had been chatting with over twenty guys at the same time and Duo hadn't been given any special attention compared to the rest. Well, not until Wufei had narrowed down his list at least. He had almost taken Duo off the list there for a while before he had known about the money and had only kept him around because… because… well, he didn't know for sure why but he figured it had been those kind eyes that had convinced him in the end.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Wufei went back to the bookmarks, browsing through them as he tried to erase the long list of 'CWufei' that seemed to have gotten stuck in front of his eyes. The next bookmarks after the dating site was a local football teams homepage followed by what looked like hundreds of links to pages of Chinese history, culture, geography and language. Wufei got almost dizzy just looking at them.

He scrolled through them in awe. Duo seemed to have read up on more or less everything about China and even seemed to have tried to learn Chinese.

Wufei leaned back in his chair, looking out through the window at Duo who carrying another plank into the garage. He felt… off balance. Like Duo was a complete stranger but at the same time someone he talked to every day. Or tried to talk to anyway. It had been easier to speak to Duo over the internet. His husband had been able to use translation programs and while that often resulted in several pretty hilarious sentences, it had still been possible for Duo to express himself.

Now they could barely talk about anything at all. They were two strangers living together, speaking only in short to the point sentences.

Around other people he could only watch as Duo talked and made people laugh. His husband was always making people laugh and Wufei wanted to understand why. People liked his husband, they smiled brightly when they saw him and always took the time to stop and chat. If Duo had been living in a larger city, Wufei was sure that he would have had lines of guys just dying for his attention. Duo was kind, devoted and considerate and if he hadn't been so tied to his home as he was, Wufei would never have stood a chance.

Feeling frustrated and isolated, Wufei shut the computer down. He had the urge to go back into the garage to see Duo work but stubbornly he stayed where he was, lonelier than ever.

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A/N That was all from Wufei for now. Please be so kind as to leave me a word about what you thought about the chapter. It will make me so very happy to hear from you.

**_Mili Maxwell_** –Thank you :D Poor Duo won't have a chance to talk a lot for a while XD He really should have paid more attention in school. **_Seneschal_** – I agree, Duo is too lovable for Wufei to stand a chance. And thank you for uour nice review, I'm glad you are enjoying it :) **_Chicookie_** – I'm impressed, you had a lots of good guesses. Have you decided which one to stick with ? **_P. Cythera_** – Inventing a country might be a good idea… hm. I'll think about that. But for now it's just going to have to stay a mystery ;) **_M1nks_** – No, Duo sure didn't sign any prenup and to let you in on a little secret, Wufei will make sure he won't be able to get an annulment for that. **_EbonyOsmosis_** – You're right, the dumb goose just needs a chance to work that charm and Wufei won't stand a chance. And Serbia might not be such a bad guess. **_Rosedreams aka bloodywingz_** – Oh honey you can stalk me anywhere and anytime you like, it will just make me happy. **_Aykadil_** - -snort- no it sure as hell can't be Danmark. God damn pancake of a country. In Wufei's situation Norway would be a pretty good place to go considering how rich they are. You can make a lot of money there. Forget USA as the land of opportunities, Norway is the place to go. **_Suzuki123_** – Glad you liked it. I think you're following my line of though freakishly well. Because yeah, Hilde's death affected Duo a lot as did the rest of the family history that will be revealed soon enough. And of course Wufei will stay, I need that happy ending or I will never forgive myself. **_Vicantis_** – Glad you like it :) Since I try not to place my stories in a country, I'm going to be more clear on where they are not in the future.


	5. Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

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The day when everything started to line up in the way Wufei had always expected it to, started out to be a good one. He got up as usual, had breakfast in a comfortable silence with his husband before he made himself ready for his daily walk. He had still not been able to walk all the way to the edge of Duo's land and he was starting to consider spending the night out there for a chance to reach it. Thinking about all that land always made him curious. It couldn't be usual for one man to own this much land, especially not a man like Duo who was more like a simple farmer. Not a massive land owner.

Duo didn't act like someone who owned more or less all the land surrounding the village and he sure wasn't treated like it. He was always welcomed with a smile whenever they met anyone but it wasn't in a way Wufei was used to people meeting a rich man. Everyone treated Duo like he was one of them, just another middle class working man. It puzzled and fascinated him all at once. People must know what type of money Duo had, such a thing would be impossible to keep a secret in a town as small as this.

Later, as he walked back to the farm, his thought was filled with money and what it meant to the people who did and didn't have it. His mind was so occupied that it took him several seconds to notice the black car parked in front of the house as he crossed the lawn. They didn't get visitors very often and those who came didn't own that kind of vehicle. It was one of those big cars meant to drive through rough terrain, it looked too big and haunting where it stood parked carelessly in the middle of the yard, it's massive tires sinking down into the peddles. Sun reflected off the windshield, giving it an almost sinister look.

His attention was drawn from it and over to the large, red painted building on its other side. The garage door was open and through it, Wufei suddenly heard Duo's angry raised voice.

He faltered. He had never heard Duo angry before, never mind shouting.

Worry rushed through him as he tried to imagine what could provoke that kind of reaction from the mild mannered man. With his heartbeats rushing he hurried over to the doorway, grabbing a hold of a shovel that stood leaning against the wall as another male voice could be heard, cutting Duo off. He paused just inside, taking a new grip around the wooden handle as he took in the scene in front of him. Duo stood toe to toe with a large man in roughly the same age and size. The two men looked like two pissed of bulls matching strength as they argued.

"Hey!" He cut in, making the two men falter and turn towards him. Duo looked tense and embarrassed while the other man was glaring daggers at Wufei. The anger in those eyes made Wufei cold and he widened his stand, feet shifting on the contract floor as he made himself ready for an attack.

"Is everything okay?" Wufei asked with his eyes never leaving the aggressive male, not liking how close he was standing to his husband or the anger he radiated. Wufei knew he wasn't a big or intimidating man but he knew how to defend himself and if whoever this was even raised a hand towards Duo, Wufei was going to beat the shit out of him. His grandfather had been a devil with a sword and while this shovel might not be as elegant, Wufei had learned enough to make sure that his opponent wouldn't leave unharmed.

The man snapped out a last couple of words that made Duo flinch before turning away, marching towards the doorway. Wufei quickly dived out of the way or he was sure that the other man would have knocked right into him as he left, hard eyes never straying from the point outside that they had settled on.

Wufei watched him go, not turning around until the car roared away from the yard, making pebbles spray as it accelerated. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, forcing his stiff fingers to let go of the shovel to lean it against one of the shelves next to the door.

Duo nodded, turning his face away, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Not knowing what to say, Wufei carefully walked over, giving his husbands stiff posture a searching look. "What did he want?" He asked softly, wanting to reach out but choosing not to.

Duo shook his head. "He come to be a ass." He said in an emotionless voice.

Wufei held back a sigh. His presence here didn't seem to be earning Duo a lot of peace especially not when it came to his neighbors. Wufei overruled his hesitation and rested a comforting hand on Duo's arm, just above his elbow.

Duo turned his face towards him and smiled, eyes wet but not over flowing. A large calloused hand came to rest on top of Wufei's.

"Let's go in. I make coffee." The taller man said, giving his hand a quick squeeze before stepping out of reach to walk passed him. "Or tea if you want."

"Coffee will be fine." Wufei said, feet stuck to the floor as he watched Duo walk away.

Wufei silently wondered what that had been all about. Most likely it had been another person who could see what a stupid thing Duo had done by bringing him here. And this man wasn't going to be convicted by long speeches about love.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

A couple of days passed and the unpleasant visit was not brought up, even if Duo did seem a bit distant since then. Wufei couldn't bring himself to ask what the man had said, no matter how curious he was. But he didn't stop thinking about it and it made his unease grow. He was a bit worried that whatever the man had said had started to nest in Duo's thoughts and that he was slowly coming to his senses.

And why wouldn't he?

What use did Duo have of him? What was the point of having him there?

Standing in front of the kitchen window he watched his husband greet the man driving the large milk truck that stood backed up against the huge cooling tank attached to the cow's barn. This arrival was something he had never seen before but assumed happened often enough. The milk had to go somewhere after all. If it wasn't for the light rain that fell, Wufei would have been far into the woods by now and if it wasn't for the almost stomach aching worry inside of him he would have been buried in a book somewhere or perhaps holed up in his office.

He knew very little about how his husband spent his days besides that he had a full schedule from morning to evening. Wufei barely knew half of those things because he sure as hell didn't help out. Wufei didn't cook or clean, he didn't help around the farm, he didn't even fill the dog's food bowl. He really was kind of useless in that regard.

He watched the two men outside who had taken shelter against the wall of the barn as the truck pumped the milk into its load. They looked comfortable together, talking and smiling, Duo waving his hands around as he spoke, his black cap tipped back comically.

Duo was a social man, one who liked having people around him that he could speak to. It had probably been one of the reasons he had brought Wufei there to the lonely farm, only that Wufei wasn't very good company. They could barely hold a conversation and aside from liking the male gender, they didn't have much in common. And they didn't even have sex. As a husband, Duo had very little use for him.

It frustrated him that Duo wasn't following the plan. Wufei would have give Duo his body for 18 months and in turn he would get to stay in the country. It was confusing and made his unease grow when Duo didn't make a move. It was not the way it was supposed to be.

What was the point of going through all the hazel of bringing a man half way across the world only to have him walking around in your house without having any use of him?

Wufei spun his mug around in his hands, his thump stroking the printed tractor on it as he watched as Duo tipped his head back and laughed at something the other man had said, his shoulders shaking in amusement. The black cap fell off and that only seemed to make the man laugh harder. Duo looked a lot happier out there with his friend then he ever did around Wufei.

The unease grow thick in his stomach, working its way up to his throat where it settled like a slimy blob of snot trying to block his airway. In right this minute, the realization might be dawning on Duo. That he had no use for Wufei, that he was just costing him a lot of money and didn't give anything back.

He thought briefly of making himself useful around the house, but would that be enough? Anyone could cook or clean. Wufei needed something that only he could do, a use that Duo would come to depend on. An addictive one. The answer to what that was didn't take long to figure out.

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He waited until evening fell. Just after ten, Duo told him good night, kissed his cheek and went up stairs as usual. Wufei stayed behind to gathered the courage for what he was about to do. Feeling a bit like a goose ready to be sacrificed he went up to his room and slowly started to take his clothes off. One by one, each piece of garment was carefully folded and placed on the chair in between the elegant old chest of drawers and the window facing the yard. On top of the chest a bright yellow jar lay and his took it in his hand, holding it tightly.

Stumbling two steps to the side he took a seat at the edge of the bed and for a moment he just sat there, staring out at the sky. He felt both strangely removed from his own body at the same time as every heartbeat pumped more fear into his veins. He just needed to remember that he was the one who had made all the decisions that had brought him to this point. He was the one in charge of his own life and actions. When he did what he had planned to do, everything was a result of his own handiwork. He had no one to blame and no excuses.

With that in mind, Wufei got to his feet, his limp cock dangling uninterested between his legs as he began his journey towards the door in the end of the hallway. He shivered but it wasn't from the cold and he tightened his grip around the jar like it was his salvation. Then he reached the door, that plain wooden door with its silver colored door handle. Slowly pushing it down, Wufei walked in, his bare feet making no noise against the wooden floor. The light from the hallway gave a slip of visibility in the otherwise dark room. Obby looked up from her spot at the end of the bed, her tail thumping happily against the beddings when she saw him.

Duo was sleeping calmly, duvet pulled up high. He lay on his side facing him, a fist pushed up under his chin, looking like a carefree child.

He crossed the room to stare down at the oblivious man, than he put the jar down on the bedside table and took a deep breath. "Duo." He said softly, placing a hand on his head, for the first time feeling the surprisingly soft hair between his fingers. The smooth strands that always seemed to be trapped in a braid slipped across his fingers as he trailed them further along Duo's body.

Duo's blurry eyes fluttered open, surprise and worry the first thing that registered. "Wufei? What's wrong?"

Wufei said nothing, he just slowly reached out and started to pull the duvet off his husband.

"Wufei?" Duo whispered in question, his eyes wide as he stared up at him.

Putting a knee up on the bed, Wufei leaned down over his husband who did nothing but limply tip over on his back, eyes never leaving him for a second.

Hesitating, Wufei steered away from the lip he had been going for and chose instead to kiss the long suntanned neck. It was the second kiss he had ever given his husband. He felt Duo gasp underneath him followed by the sound of bare feet sliding over sheets.

By the end of the night, they would be even.

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When it was all over, Wufei glanced down at the man in the bed. Duo was once again asleep with a fist under his chin. Smiling gently he pulling the duvet up and stepped back.

He startled as something wet and cold touched the back of his knee, looking down to see Obby sitting by his feet.

"Good girl."He mumbled as he let the scruffy dog jump back up on the bed, having totally forgotten that she was even in the room. He stroke Obby over her head as she settled in on the blanket at the end of the bed.

He felt much better now, not only because of the endorphins in his bloodstream but because it felt like they were even now. Wufei had done what he had been brought here to do. He had upheld his part of the deal.

Giving his husband one last look he took the jar, turned and left for his own bedroom.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Wufei didn't know what he had expected for the following morning but what he had not expected was for Duo to be nowhere to be found.

He had woken up as usual if with a slight limitation in his movement and made himself ready. Everything seemed to be just as always had been at least until he came into the kitchen and saw the empty table. There were no tea, no bread and his mug till stood upside down in the draining rack.

"Duo?" He asked out loud but the house was empty aside from the soft ticking from the grandfather clock. The wooded floor creaked as he shifted his feet, unsure what was going on. Maybe Duo had overslept? No. Duo never overslept.

He looked up at the distant sound of a displeased sounding cow.

Curiosity drove him outside. The door of the cow barn was open and he walked over to look in. It turned out that more than one cow that seemed to be unhappy. As he stepped in he was met by a wave of noise from the cows as they restlessly stomped the floor. Wufei continued further in and over to the door at the far side of the building where light were spilling out into the slightly dimmed barn.

He heard a soft cursing and a metallic clang as he carefully pushed the door open, revealing his husband standing over by a workbench where he was bent over something that looked like some kind of engine. The room was small and contained no more furniture than that work bench, a waist high metal shelf and a worn chair that probably hadn't been new since before his grandfather was born. But despite that the room was practically swimming in object. Cables, metal scraps, tools and coffee cups lay scrambled up in a almost post earthquake resembling mess

Wufei hesitated or a moment, licking his lips awkwardly before speaking."Duo."

The other man jumped, turning around swiftly. "Oh, hi. Good morning." He looked away, restlessly fingering the machine on the bench. "I slept too long." Duo said and picked up a screwdriver, clumsily opening up something deep inside the electronics. "And.. um, sucking stopped. Milk don't move through pipe."

"Oh." Wufei mumbled, shifting his feet where he stood frozen in the doorway. The way Duo wouldn't look him in the eye was making him nervous.

Duo spoke up again, his words rushing passed his lips. "I make breakfast soon as I done."

"No, it's alright." Wufei protested. "I'll manage. You take care of your cows."

When Duo didn't respond or even look at him, Wufei slowly turned to leave.

"Wufei." The words were spoken so softly that he barely heard them. Wufei paused in the middle of a motion, looking over in question with a hand resting on the doorframe. Kind blue eyes peeked over a wide flannel clad shoulder, briefly meeting his. "Thank you."

Wufei didn't know how to respond so he didn't. Instead he left his husband to his work, giving his back one last look before leaving the barn.

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Time moved on and after that out of sync morning, everything went back to normal. To a point at least. Wufei had almost not even noticed the difference at first but found that Duo seemed to be touching him a lot less than before. There were no more brief brushes here and there, no hands lingering on his shoulder for just a second and the soft evening kisses to his cheek were gone like they had never been. Wufei, while not having felt any need visit Duo's bed again, had also not been given the smallest hint of a request for his presence there again. Duo would sometimes reach out to touch him, only to let his hand fall like he had suddenly changed his mind. His eyes would drop to the floor or he would turn away, like Wufei was something he didn't want to touch.

Wufei didn't quite know what to make of it. He wanted to be relived but for some reason he felt insulted. He might not be an expert of sex but he was not so bad in bed that he deserved to be ignored afterwards.

Wufei analyzed that night over and over again but couldn't for the life of him understand just what had gone wrong. Duo had enjoyed himself, of that he was sure, he hadn't even been the one to bear the pain of penetration. There was no logic behind it all and it frustrated him.

One thing was for sure, he had obviously not given Duo something he wouldn't want to part from. But at least he had upheld his part of the bargain. That was always something.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

One early afternoon , two weeks after what Wufei was started to think of as his Sacrifice, he found himself in a garden in the backyard. It wasn't much of a garden, at least not now days. The bushes were over grown, the fruit trees was a mess and the flower beds were a war zone where the weed seemed to be winning by far.

Since his Sacrifice he had felt a lot more comfortable around the farm. The tension inside of him over the unbalance in their relationship had finally stopped and Wufei now found it easier to move around in and outside of the house. It no longer felt like he was just a stranger in someone's home. It felt like he also had a right to be there. He had paid the price of entrance.

So while taking in the farm more closely than he had ever done before, Wufei had strolled to the back of the house and found something that once must have been a much loved garden.

He had started pulling a weed here and there to give some of the growing plants some room. Then he had gotten annoyed as the roots trawled far into the ground and he couldn't get them out. Wufei declared war on the weeds.

For some reason not wanting Duo to know what he was up to, Wufei snuck into the garage and grabbed the shovel he had once planned to swing like a sword.

Two hours later Wufei had managed to liberate three out of four flowerbeds and found a small pound hidden underneath a thick layer of dead plants. There were not a lot of flowers left and Wufei figured that what hadn't been suffocated by the weed had been killed by his ignores as he pulled up what he thought didn't fit. He had never taken care of a garden before so how should he know? Too much of the summer has passed to plant anything to fill the gaps but Wufei enjoyed creating order in the overgrown chaos around him.

He hadn't realized that he had missed the feel of dirt under his hands, the strain on his muscles as he worked and the feel of accomplishment as the land took shape. He remembered hating the endless work in the fields, hating the callous on his hands, the sun against his back, the muddy water he stood in day in and day out. He had truly _hated_ it. But now, after spending larger part of the day voluntarily working, Wufei felt at peace. He felt calm and as he decided that he was done for the day and straightend up to overlook what he had accomplished, he also felt proud.

He had gone back the next day and taken on the rose bushes. After using several of his grandfather's favorite curses Wufei had gone to find a pair of work glows, a hedge sheared and a cap to protect his eyes from the sun. Non of the things had been very hard to find. Duo left gloves all over the place, mostly by the sink and the phone but also behind the television and next to the toilet. The cap was from the hat rack by the front door and the shredder had, after some searching been found on the work bench in the garage. How his husband found anything at all in that mess was a mystery.

"Wufei?"

Felling like he was being caught red handed, Wufei froze at the sound of his name with one foot up on the shovel where it was ready to push it down into the ground.

He turned and looked over at the open living room window where his surprised looking husband was leaning out with his forearm up against the frame. Duo smiled happily when their eyes met. "There you are, dinner ready."

His first thought was 'please don't let it be more potatoes' quickly followed by a wave of embarrassment. "Oh, thank you." Wufei mumbled, stepping away from the shovel and leaving it where it was. He awkwardly took his gloves off and started walking around the house, not even glancing over at the open window. He wondered what Duo would say about his project at the same time as he hopped his husband wasn't put off by his dirty appearance. He had been able to take a shower before seeing Duo the other day but now he was sweaty and dusty, the back of his t-shirt sticking to his skin. He always tried to look presentable, so who knew what Duo would think of this. Because while he didn't believe that Duo was a very shallow person, the fact still remained that Wufei was there because of his looks, nothing else.

With that worry in mind he paused at the large water barrel at the corner of the house. It was filled to the brim with rain water and he had sudden vision, remembering the picture Duo had made as he bent over the edge and washed up.

A thought slowly crept up on him and an idea started to take shape. Duo might not think that he was very good in bed, but Wufei was going to remind his husband that he at least was nice to look at.

With a devilish grin, Wufei pulled his sweaty t-shirt over his head and went to clean up.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

When Wufei entered the kitchen, Duo was whistling under his breath, all his attention on their dinner.

Wufei waited until Duo lifted the pot of potatoes from the counter before making his presence known. "Hey." He said casually, grinning on the inside as he watched Duo freeze up like a statue at the sight of him, his mouth dropping open.

"I'm just going to clean up a bit." Wufei said, making a show out of using his bundled up t-shirt to dry off some water drops from his bare stomach, making sure to do it in downward strokes.

Duo didn't respond but the way his eyes had dropped to Wufei's waistline spoke volumes. Just to make things a little worse for his husband, Wufei lazily stretched his back, making his already flat stomach sink inwards in a way that brought attention to the gap to his jeans it created.

"I'll be right back." He said, turning around to give Duo a look of his back and the water that slipped from his wet hair down towards his ass. An ass that was given an extra swing as he started walking.

There was a bang as something hit the floor and a breathless curse from Duo.

Wufei smirked as he walked away, pretty sure that he not only had accomplished the death of the potatoes but also secured his position as something Duo didn't want to get rid of.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

A/N

Well... I'm back... kind of. Didn't mean to disappear but work as been kicking my ass ever since I got 20% more work hours. I'm going to try to get myself going from now on. Leave me a word, would you? It will help and encourage me more then you can imagine. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry, this not chapter 6. You might have heard of the witch hunt going on right now where they are straight out deleting stories left and right for having adult content.

Unfortunately, chapter 6 was all about character development through sex. I'm going to have to re-write the whole thing, including the rest of the plot of this story because of this. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this so for now I'm going to have to put this whole thing on hold.

I'm very sorry about this.

But if you still want to read it, send me a PM and I'll send you the chapter as well as the next one when I get it back from my beta reader.

If you are as pissed about the whole thing as I am, please read this message from Tiffany and give your support.

Although, we haven't met or have been formally introduced. I don't know if you have heard or not, but I just want to pm you and let know that there is going to be a purge from where they will start deleting all fanfiction that contains any content of text that has any possible scenes of sexual situations, strong language, or violence, which includes lemons or anything related to the things listed above. I wanted to pm you and let you know on this since your fanfic may have fallen under the listed categories. FFN may also delete any hint of it regardless if it is under 18 or rated-T. If it is rated M, they may assume the sexual situations, violence, or profanity are too suggestive and may delete it even if there is some or only a few parts of it.  
>Here is the link to discussion about in the forums as well as the petition that is now over 25,000 signatures which needs to keep going in order for it to be valid to protest against FFN's enforcement on their proposal which will take place soon. I putted brackets around the abbreviation marks since the PM cuts out the first half of the link. So you have to remove them in order to view it before you can copy and paste the link in the html drop box:<p>

-

-Forum Page-

topic/2872/63794724/1/

-Petition-

petitions/fanfiction-net-stop-the-destruction-of-fanfiction-net

-Petition Part 2 (only to be used as a backup whenever the first petition reaches it's limit)-

petitions/fanfiction-net-stop-the-destruction-of-fanfiction-net-part-2-2

-Also feel free to contact the Admins to voice your concerns-  
>support .com (without th :  www . )

Also, please spread this news to anyone you know on this site who is has fanfiction or has them under the categories listed above which are eligable to be wiped off. As this will also affect the freedom or speech and creativity of the writers themselves with the internet censorship which is invalid to the site's purpose of letting users rate their fanfiction for M or R rather than using Age Restrictive Filters. It would help boost the speed on prevent FFN taking action.  
>Thank you for your time for reading this to your notice.<p>

Sincerely,

-Tiffany


	7. Chapter 7

Obviously, this is not a chapter, this is just a note telling you that the next chapter is done. You can either go to my live journal to read it (and please leave a comment because it would make me so unbelievably happy) or you can send me a PM with your email and I'll send it to you as soon as I can.

The reason I'm not posting it is first of all because of the amount of sex it contains but also for another reason that's linked to the first one. As you might have heard, there is a witch hunt for adult content going on right now on and I don't really feel like being banned because of prudes. Basically, the people behind this hunt are extremely rude and just plain mean to authors they decide to attack and the is only encouraging this group. I can honestly not bring myself to post anything on a page that encourage bulling. So for now, I will most likely not post anything on unless this changes.

Sorry for the inconvenience and I hope to hear from you anyway.

Lots of love /In2lalaland


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